UN demands access to Darfur

2004-05-26 11:34

New York - The United Nations Security Council late on Tuesday demanded immediate access for humanitarian monitors to the western Sudan province of Darfur, and demanded that Khartoum ensure that the Janjaweed militias are "neutralised and disarmed".

Government-backed Arab militias, called Janjaweed, have been carrying out attacks against a black Muslim population in the Darfur region, where thousands have died.

Hundreds of thousands of others are at risk of dying in the coming months, warned Munir Akram of Pakistan, the current council president.

The conflict is separate from another conflict in the south, where years of negotiations are on the brink of sealing a peaceful settlement. In that conflict, Khartoum's Islamist government has been warring against Christian and tribal rebels.

An official declaration from the council condemned the horrendous humanitarian situation and continuing human rights abuses in Darfur.

The council expressed its "deep concern" at continuing reports about large-scale violations, including "indiscriminate attacks on civilians, sexual violence, forced displacement and acts of violence, especially those with an ethnic dimension", Ambassador Akram said.

The council welcomed Sudan's announcement that it will help in the relief effort, but called on Khartoum to "facilitate the voluntary and safe return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes and provide protection for them".

The government committed itself to neutralising the armed Janjaweed militias in the N'djamena humanitarian ceasefire, the council said. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA